Bhubaneswar: With the emergence of Covid-19 as a major public health hazard, the future of next session of Odisha Assembly hangs in balance. It appears almost impossible to convene the monsoon session this month, said sources.
The 147-member House had its last sitting in the month of March this year during the Budget Session but soon after the lockdown and outbreak of the pandemic, the proceedings have been affected.
In the meanwhile, some Assembly staffers and legislators have been tested positive for the deadly virus. The plan to conduct online sessions and committee meetings has also not gone well as per expectations.
Assembly Speaker Surya Narayan Patro has been consulting the Lok Sabha Speaker and Parliament secretaries on ways to conduct the business of the House as per the plans and also regarding the meetings of different committees of the Assembly.
“I have consulted the Lok Sabha speaker and Parliament secretaries. It is not possible to conduct the business of the House in July. We have to think beyond this month. No decision has been taken till now. We are working out the plan for the same,” he said.
The Speaker said the Assembly must conduct its session within six months. It is likely that the meeting could be held amidst strict social distancing norms in September.
The Speaker said that the House had planned for online sessions but it could not get approval from the Parliament and found least takers. However, he said that the Assembly Committees are free to conduct their meetings headed by the respective chairpersons.
“Some Committee meetings were held in the last few months but it received a jolt after some legislators were tested positive for novel coronavirus. Now, such meetings have been suspended till July end but members of different committees are at liberty to convene a meeting online this month,” Patro said.
The Speaker said that the legislators can participate in the committee meeting from their blocks and districts.
